Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Social life

There's life stirring at the allotment site. Not just the glorious May blossoming of cow parsley and geans, or the perky rows of onions and emerging potatoes, but community life. Many sites have a bustling social life - not so ours. Immediate neighbours chat with each other, 'hellos' are exchanged as people pass to and fro on the road in to the site, but that's about it. Now, in the climate of diminishing council spending, there are stirrings of self-help: discussions about the communal strimmer; should we build communal compost bins for weeds, since the council won't; what about painting the site toilet. And as an off-shoot, if you'll pardon the pun, making time to get to know each other a bit and enjoy our common haven.

We had a get together at the very end of April. What better than to sit in the sunshine, serenaded by a blackbird, and make plans? And eat some cake. A few decisions were made, but that wasn't so much the point as to start getting people together.

And there's something particularly cheerful for me about the Union Jack fluttering from the site hut. I'm fiercely proud to be Scottish, but I'm also British and would like to remain so. Still, who knows - if Scotland were to become independent, perhaps Sir Sean Connery, that ardent supporter of the independence cause, would return from Switzerland to live here...

15 comments:

Well, I don't have a very positive view of the union jack I'm afraid, but i'll leave the political arguments elsewhere. It does sound like a nice wee social though. Community events like that are good for the soul.

We were lucky enough to get a grant to buy a couple of cast iron gas burners and kettles so that we regularly get together over a cup of tea and cake during the summer months and also have our meetings in the pub. We don't usually decide much but it's a good way to get to know your fellow plot holders and exchange information.

We usually chat to our immediate neighbours but also have a few social events during the year, mainly our Open day, BBQ, harvest get together and a Christmas get together.We have a fairly big tea room and its a good place to socialise for a few minutes while waiting for the kettle to boil!

I also love how the Union Jack looks fluttering in the breeze. Hard to believe the photo was taken in April....looks like middle of summer. We don't even have leaves on our trees...everything so late this spring.

Now I'm wondering, what did you bring for a snack/drink? It's always of interest to me to know what people are eating.

Happy day to you, Linda. Sorry I haven't been around much. Short on time always.

Finally, blogger is letting me comment! Nice to have a get-together. Our allotments don't seem to do much more than the chat in passing, although I have got to know some of the people who are up there a lot, and those of us who all started at the same time this year have a bond of fellow suffering-from-couchgrass. Remains to be seen what happens later in the year I suppose, I had had visions of group BBQs etc. but no sign so far.

I love that you have neighbors with a love of gardening. I'm quite alone on that front so it's through blogs that I get a chance to socialize. Interesting political conversations, here too there is an underground movement with discussions of leaving the United States and joining Canada or becoming a separate nation. Much discontent around the world I'd say. Cheers, jenni

When it comes down to it, it's always about people. I have enough room for a veggie garden (Oz) and can plant whatever I like but I don't have the social hi, the meeting and talking that makes life so enjoyable. I get to talk to other gardeners at the nursery! Not the same.Vickixx

This was one of those posts where I enjoyed reading the comments as well as what you wrote.

I garden on my own lot, but we do have community gardens in town, which I support by going to their plant sales, and buying produce from their tables at the farmer's market.

We have a lot of new neighbors on our street, and people don't socialize like they did in my childhood neighborhood. A few of us visit from time to time, and we have had a few block parties over the years. We are going to try to be more active with our Neighborhood Watch and have another get together this summer.

I hope you and your allotment folks get some projects done together this summer.

I like the idea of a get-together on the allotment. Here there isn't even an allotment association and I think they only get together for the giant veg growing competition....The Irish bit of me has a problem with that flag and Sean Connery coming back to live in Scotland? Do I see pigs flying overhead?